13 vie to fill vacancy on Ohio Supreme Court

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Thirteen judges and lawyers have applied to Gov. John Kasich for the upcoming vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court.

Kasich's appointee will replace retiring Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton. Absent from the list released by Kasich Monday were two incumbents who lost their high-court seats in November: Robert Cupp and Yvette McGee Brown.

Cupp cited the impact on rulings coming yet this year as a reason for not applying.

Applicants include three Common Pleas judges, Craig Baldwin, Pat DeWine and Victor Haddad of Licking, Hamilton and Clermont counties, respectively.

They also include five appellate judges, including Ohio State Bar Association president Patrick Fischer.

The list was rounded out by a municipal court judge and four lawyers either currently or formerly in private practice.